Load confining skid for use in railway cars



1959 R. SCHEY EI'AL 2,873,692

LOAD CONFINING sxn: FOR USE IN RAILWAY CARS Filed Feb. 3, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Robert Scheg d Roberi E .J ames ATTORNEYS u. oocoooooooooooo%woooooouoomooooc wH M fi @N m: Na Qm 9: mp wflg N 1 m F 5 m m @n r c: kmm Am @M 14 7] t 1 mm 1 n 1 0O00000000000000OO000DOODOOWDOOOOONOUWOODOOO000000OOOFTO000O00D00OtOODPkOO000000000OORJkMOOOOOQ-OOOOOGOJOOL 1 i H E Feb. 17, 1959 R. SCHEY ETAL LOAD CONFINING 5x11: FOR USE IN RAILWAY CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5 1955 :1; ZIP": 52." Iii.

INVENTORS Robefl: Scheg a Robert E.J ames ATTORNEYS Feb. 17, 1959 sc ETAL 2,873,692

LOAD CONFINING SKID FOR USE IN RAILWAY CARS Filed Feb. 3 1955 4 Sheets-sheaf I5 'Fics. 5

/z//1// zz///////1/ INVENTORS oberk SshQg a d. Robefi EJ ames .4 U BY ATTORNEYS 5 y R. SCHEY ET AL $873,692

LOAD CONFINING sxn: FOR USE IN RAILWAY CARS Filed Feb. 3, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 V Rober c Scheg nd Robert E..J ames ATTORNEYS nited StatesPatent O LOAD CONFINING SKID FOR USE IN RAILWAY CARS Robert Schey and Robert Evan James, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a consolidated railroad corporation of the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois Application February 3, 1955, Serial No. 485,972

3 Claims. '(Cl. 105-366) cars in installing and removing temporary blocking is a serious item of expense. This has lead toincreasing use of permanent skids and cradles. Their commercial desirability depends on how versatile they are as to the lading which they will confine satisfactorily.

This invention affords a skid which will confine heavy rolls of strip steel and other generally cylindrical articles or alternatively confinestacks of plate or other parallelepipeds. These rolls and stacks, as delivered by the mills to the railroads are securely banded, so that they retain their forms during shipment.

In any case the lading is closely confined; and confining means, not in actual use at any time, can travel with the car. No component need be expended. Heavy lading is provided for and adequate cushioning means to absorb braking and draft shocks are provided. Adequate protection against the weather is provided.

The loaded car is safe for personnel under all normal conditions, for confinement of the lading is adequate. Loading and unloading operations are quick and much simpler than they could be with any system of temporary blocking. 1

A practical embodiment of the invention as applied to a conventional steel gondolac'ar is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a plan view of one unit of the two used in a gondolacar. 'The canvas cover is omitted.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. The

scale of Figure 2'is approximately twice that of Fig- V are 1. I

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section and Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan showing a portion of one skid' unit and the bufiing mechanism attached to the car deck.

Figures 5 and, 6 are transverse sections, the first showing a roll of strip steel in place'and the second a stack of steel plate in position, with chain retainers applied. In each view the canvas cover is shown.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary views showing the mounting of the removable and adjustable cross bars used to retain lading against forward and rearward displacement relatively to the skid. Of these, Figure 8 is a plan view and Figures 7 and 9 are sections taken respectively on the lines 7-7 and 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective showing one of the releasable canvas-retainers, used along one side of the skids.

In all figures the deck of the car will be designated by the letter D, guide strips applied thereto by the letter G, and car body by B.

Refer now to Figures 1 and 2.

The main frame comprises four channel-iron longitudinals 11 mounted flange side up and welded to channel iron cross members of two types. At the ends the cross members 12 extend clear across the main frame (see Figure 3, and'left side of Figure 2) while the intermediate cross members 13 (see Figure 3 and right side of Figure 2) span only two longitudinals 11. In the example illustrated there are five intermediate cross members 13, on each side, and these are uniformly spaced. Their number and spacing are not critical.

The inner ends of the intermediate cross members 13 are beveled, as best shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6 to afford a trough whose sides are lined with planks 14. The planks are bolted to angle-iron clips 15 which are welded to the members 13. replaceable. Similarly the longitudinals 11 rest on replaceable' wooden runners 16, which are bolted to the longitudinals.

The tops of the transverse members 12 and 13 are tied together by two channels 17 whose flanges are welded to the top flange of the transverse members and by two H beams 18 Whose bottom flanges are welded to the top flanges of the transverse members. The locations of these members 17 and 18 are clearly shown in the drawings. Additionalbracing of the members 12 and 13 is afforded by two pipes 19 which pass through alined holes in the Webs of members 12 and 13 and are welded to each web, and byfoot plates 21 which rest on and are welded to the top flanges of each member 12, 13. Each of the members 17 has a wooden facing 22 bolted to it.

Cast steel pockets 23 have channeled bases 24 which embrace and are slidablealong the top flange of each of the two H beams 18. These pockets receive the end portions of wooden cross beams 25 which are intended to engage lading and prevent displacement thereof relatively to the skid by draft and bufiing shocks.

It follows that some means must be provided to fix the bases 24 in adjusted positions along the H beam 18. To combine strength and simplicity with reasonably small adjustmentfintervals recourse is had to stirrup irons 26 (see Figures 7-9) each of which has two locking pins 27 stressed in double shear.

These pinspass through selected pairs of holes 28 in the base 24 and through selected pairs of holes 29 in the flange of beam 18. The spacing of pairs of holes 28 in base 24 affords three choices say 1%" apart. The holes 29 are differently spaced, say 2" apart throughout the length of beam 18. As a consequence a vernier effect gives adjustments which are a fraction of the smaller interval, here assumed to be 1%".

The pockets 23 have open endswhich are closed by the stirrup irons 26 when the latter are put in place.

This facilitates placement of the wooden cross beams 25,

and at the same time assures retention of the latter after the pockets 23 are fixed in position. Y

Since it is impracticable to locate pockets 23 at the extreme ends of beams 18, each end cross member 12 carries an angle iron bracket 31 with web braces 32. It is weldedto the top flange of the corresponding member 12 (see Figures 1 and 4 and the left hand side of Figure 2) and carries, bolted to it, a facing board 33.

Brackets 34 are welded to the bottom flanges of members 18 at intervals throughout the lengths thereof (see Figures 1, 2, 7 and 10). They are also welded to the ends of members 17. Those along one side of the skid carry bolts 35 which are intended to pass through grommets in the margins of a waterproofed paulin 36 to connect the paulin semi-permanently along one side of the skid. (See Figures 1, 2 and 7.) The remainder of the brackets 34 carry toggle fasteners 37 to pass through grommets at the remaining edges of the paulin. (See Figures 1, 2 and 10.)

The planks 14 are thus readily.

Bumper plates 38 are mounted on at least one end of each skid. There aretwo of these, oneat either sideof the longitudinal center line, so as to engage buffers herelnafter described, and each is welded to the web of a cross member 12 and to the end of a long-itudinal-member 11.

Hold-down chains 39 and 41 areused in pairs, each chain being connected at one end by.a shackle 42 to a corresponding pipe 19. The opposite ends of the chains of a given pair are adjustably connected together by a turnbuckle 43 with attaching hooks 44.

With coils of strip the chains are not used. The chains are at such times lowered to the car deck D. As indicated in Figure the coils' S rest on the planks 14 which form the longitudinal trough. As stated above the coils S as delivered by the mills are heavily handed, and so do not change in shape. ponent of the claimed structure they are shown merely in outline.

As indicated in both Figure 5 and Figure 6 cross beams adjusted along'the members 18 andpinned in positions such that the lading is properly confined.

To absorb bufimg and other longitudinalshocks, the skids are left free to shift longitudinally on the car deck. Such shifting is resisted by friction, and consequently many of the longitudinal shocks are absorbed wholly by the friction between the skid and the car deck. The simple expedient of permitting some sliding motion leads to the harmlessabsorption of the large proportion of the longitudinal shock forces, so that impacts of the skids with one another and with the buffers are minimized. Spring buffers are used to limit the extent of such shifts. These buffers could be mounted on thecaror the skid,

but it is considered more convenient to mount them on the car as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Since the coils S are not a com-' In thesefigures a bracket 45 extends across the car deck and carries buffer plates 46 which are guided by bolts 47 and sustained against horizontal impacts by coil compression springs 48 which encircle spring seats 49, 50 at their opposite ends. The plates are positioned to engage the plates 38 on the ends of the skids. The parts 45-48 are duplicated at opposite ends of the car. The skids are allowed several inches of free movement before engaging the buffers. The guides G preserve alinement. Two skids per car is the number presently contemplated.

The skids become a part of the permanent equipmentof a car, and While cars soequipped are preferably assigned to shipments from particular steel mills, they have a degree of versatility which makes the use. of the skids economically sound. No blocking equipment needbe expended. All of it travels with the car, and is available for lading which varies considerably in size and kind, whether it be generally cylindrical or rectangular inform.

What is claimed is:

1. A load-retaining and shock absorbingibskid for mounting on the deck of a car said skid comprising a ports for lading comprising members defining a V-shaped by saidframe-to receive and aline cylindrical objects,

and longitudinal bearers also supported by said frame and extending along the sides of and substantially at the upper margins of said channel-defining members whereby the bearers may support objects having a plane lower face; guides carried by said frame and extending along the lateral margins of said frame; beam-retaining pockets slidably engaging and shiftable along said guides; beams sustained at their ends by said pockets and extending transversely of said frame and across said longitudinal bearers; and means for fixing said pockets in adjusted positions on said guides.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which the means for fixing the pockets on the guides comprises two series of alined holes one series in each of the two relatively adjusted members, and at least one pin passed through a hole in each-series, the spacing of the holes in the two series being unequal.

3. A load-retaining and shock absorbing skid for mounting'on the deckof a car, said skid comprising a generally rectangular elongated frame havinglongitudinal runners upon which it is supported said runners extending longitudinally of the car deck; supports for;ladingv comprising. members defining a V-shaped longitudinal. channel within and supportedby said frame to receive port objects having a plane lower face; at least one cross beam for confining lading extending substantially the width of said frame and above said longitudinal bearers;

and means for connecting each end of said beam with said frame, in selected positions in the length of the frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,081,853 Miller Dec. 16, 1913 1,132,876 Peterson et al Mar. 23, 1915 1,615,813 Romine Jan. 25, 1927 1,784,909 Romine Dec. 16, 1930 1,859,076 Dietrich May 17, 1932 2,065,649 Burke Dec. 29, 1936 2,118,364 Sheehan May 24, 1938 2,159,479 Goodwin et al. May 23, 1939 2,170,581 West et al Aug. 22, 1939 2,171,093 Klima et al. Aug. 29, 1939 2,294,795 Moses Sept. 1, 1942 2,366,337 Kreuter. et al. Jan. 2, 1945 2,489,024 Gaynor Nov. 22, 1949 2,519,721 Taylor' Aug. 22, 1950 2,521,088 .Phelps' Sept. 5, 1950 2,570,757 Bowman et al. Oct. 9, 1951 2,576,425 Thearle Nov. 27, 1951 2,613,615 Nampa Oct. 14, 1952 2,613,807 Higbee Oct. 14, 1952 2,625,118 Lechner Jan. 13, 1953 2,670,166 Applegate W. Feb. 23, 1954 2,817,304 Newcomer etal Dec. 24, 1957 

